By trading Quentin to the San Diego Padres for two minor-league pitchers Saturday, the White Sox have said goodbye to their closer, their Opening Day starting pitcher and their cleanup man.

Are they making room for Cuban center fielder Yoennis Cespedes? For now, call it a long shot, but the Sox recently scouted Cespedes, who should be granted free agency soon. For what it's worth, they have two Cubans — shortstop Alexei Ramirez and right fielder Dayan Viciedo — to make recruiting pitches.

"What I will say is that there are some doors now open for us that were not open just yesterday because of savings of dollars," general manager Ken Williams said. "But which direction we are heading with that, it would be counterproductive in getting something done to say we are deciding to go down that road.